Undergraduate Psychology

Degrees Offered Please see a detailed list at the end of this section of majors and courses offered by the Department of Psychology. Not all majors are offered at all Brenau locations.

B.S. Program Mission and Philosophy The Department of Psychology is committed to the goals set forth in the university’s mission statement and principles of practice and in the strategic plan. The Mission of the Department of Psychology is to (1) provide students with core scientific literacy in fundamental areas within psychology, (2) maximize the development of critical thinking, research skills, creative and artistic expression, and proficiency in communication, (3) foster personal and social awareness towards an increase in personal integrity and global understanding and (4) encourage community responsibility and service.

The Psychology curriculum is designed to provide skills in research methodology, critical analysis of current professional literature and knowledge and understanding of theories. It also invites students to improve their own relational skills through courses based on applying the principles of human behavior. The curriculum allows students to expand skills such as oral and written communication, awareness of cultural/global diversity, and an understanding and enhancement of personal interaction and critical thinking.

Psychology students are encouraged to do volunteer work during their time spent at Brenau. We believe that professionals will more effectively work with others if they have had wide exposure to a variety of people and have developed a deeper understanding of the human condition. Volunteering affirms values like prosocial behavior, enhancing the lives of the volunteers as much as the lives of those who are served.

During their senior year, all students majoring in psychology must complete a one-semester internship at an approved site. The experience varies from person to person according to availability of sites. Students have direct input into their placements and are usually able to work with their population of interest.

Psychology graduates can aspire to obtain jobs in areas such as mental health, education, business, public health and criminal justice. Students seeking graduate degrees in other areas, including law, journalism, social work and business have found psychology courses to be both meaningful and relevant. Students also have the opportunity to participate in faculty research and teaching programs to gain the experience needed for graduate school admission.

Graduate Psychology

Dr. Julie Battle, Chair

Purpose and Philosophy This program offers graduate education for those interested in becoming professional counselors in mental health centers, community agencies, hospitals, social services agencies, universities and colleges, drug and alcohol abuse programs and criminal justice settings or for those who wish to continue training in psychology at the Ph.D. level. The department offers masters degrees in Applied Gerontology (M.S.), Clinical Counseling Psychology (M.S.) and Psychology (M.S.) through the graduate school. The program is designed to maximize the development of professional and research skills while at the same time developing a basic understanding of the fundamental areas within psychology. The curriculum reflects the most advanced scientific knowledge and practice techniques relevant to psychological counseling and research of a multicultural society especially emphasizing the diversity of the Northeast and Northwest Georgia region.

Applied Gerontology

Purpose/Vision With a dramatic surge in the aging population, there is an increasing need for well qualified, highly trained professionals to provide services for this population on all levels. The field of gerontology is changing and becoming an increasingly important opportunity for career advancement or change. This program will be of interest to those who work in or are interested in various fields of health care, including psychology, nursing, occupational therapy, health science, and biology as well as liberal arts, business, social work, housing, interior and fashion design, institutional care, transportation, the law and geriatric care management.

The interdisciplinary Applied Gerontology (M.S.) degree at Brenau University is designed to be innovative and will offer a unique opportunity for students to design a curriculum that will fit their individual education and career needs. This degree will place students on the cutting edge of serving the older adult population.

Depending on the student’s schedule, this 30-hour program may be completed in as little as one calendar year.

For students not wishing to obtain a master’s degree, a certificate in applied gerontology is available by completing 18 hours of coursework. Students will coordinate with their advisor to design a course of study to meet their needs.

Admission Requirements

A Brenau University application. The application may be submitted online at http://admissions.brenau.edu

A non-refundable application fee

Minimum G.P.A. of 2.5

Official transcripts of all previous college/university coursework. Submit transcripts to the Graduate Admissions Office. Failure to submit transcripts from all colleges previously attending, through omission or misrepresentation will disqualify the applicant.

Clinical Counseling Psychology

Mission Statement The Master’s program in Clinical Counseling Psychology at Brenau University is committed to excellence in preparing students for work in a wide variety of clinical, counseling, assessment and research settings. Our mission is to provide an education founded in the scientist-practitioner model which will lead to competency in applied clinical/counseling work as well as to an understanding of the importance of ongoing research into the effectiveness of our work and an ability to competently carry out research. Furthermore, the mission of the program is to provide an education that will lead to intellectual and professional competence, foster personal growth, promote reflection about practice, cultivate compassion and sensitivity in the therapeutic approach and encourage community responsibility and global understanding. More specifically, the program will have a special focus on competency in social and cultural diversity issues with application of knowledge through various applied and research experiences.

The program intends to accomplish this mission by providing coursework and practical/internship experiences which emphasize the application of theories of human development, psychopathology and behavior change to psychosocial problems of a diverse clientele seeking mental health services. The program provides a basis in general psychological principles, therapeutic principles, a framework of research methodology, evaluation and statistics as well as applied work with these skills through the thesis requirement and applied work in the area of clinical counseling psychology including the theory and practice of therapy, psychological assessment, ethics and professional identity and social and cultural diversity. The program prepares students for licensure at the LPC level and/or further training in a psychology, Ph.D./Psy.D. program. All aspects of the program and consistent with licensure requirements.

For successful completion of the clinical counseling master’s program, students must pass 60 credit hours of coursework, 250 hours of practicum experiences and a 450-hour internship. In addition, the master’s program in clinical counseling at Brenau University offers several unique specialization options. By taking an additional six hours of classes (for a total of 66 hours) or completing equivalent applied experiences, students may choose to specialize in one of a number of areas (see below).

Please Note: Specific classes and experiences are negotiable in order to meet the specialty option but must be approved by the graduate program; however, specific classes used toward specialty option must already be in existence. A variety of options can be considered for meeting the requirements; however, equivalency of contact hours and appropriate level of coursework and experience are necessary.

The masters in clinical counseling psychology program at Brenau University is a flexible 2-year full-time or 3-4 year part-time program designed to provide training that is consistent with a scientist-practitioner model of Clinical Psychology. The program is co-educational and part-time students are welcomed. Classes are offered on a modified day schedule. This includes one morning class and one evening class each seven-week session. In addition, students take two or three classes in the summer. The summer classes are scheduled similarly with one morning class and one evening class. Students who have just graduated from college and/or who are planning to return to graduate school full-time will be able to complete the program in two years by taking both day and evening classes. Individuals who are working full time could also take part in the full time master’s program by taking off only one morning a week. Individuals who are working full time and cannot or do not wish to take off one morning a week can opt to take three to four years to complete the program by taking all night classes or a combination of day and night classes. The schedule of classes rotate so that in a four-year period, all needed classes are offered at night (with the exception of specialty option classes). Because the specialization is an option and is not required for degree completion and because the specialization classes are generally offered in other departments and schools, those classes will not necessarily follow the modified day schedule. Students wishing to specialize will have to take the required classes or fulfill the applied experiences as offered.

Educational Outcomes Completion of the Masters in Science in Clinical Counseling Psychology program prepares the learner to demonstrate:

A critical understanding of psychological therapy and theories and their utility for clinical practice and research as well as the skills needed to provide professional therapeutic services.

A critical understanding of issues related to assessment and diagnosis and the skills needed to provide diagnostic assessment.

Research skills relevant to identification of psychological service needs, effectiveness of psychological processes and improvement of practice as well as research and statistical skills needed to independently design useful studies, collect needed data and analyze and interpret data appropriately.

Ability to analyze organizational, legal and ethical issues affecting practice and to develop effective personal and professional responses to these issues

Admissions Requirements Admission to the clinical psychology program at Brenau is competitive. All applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university although the degree does not have to be in psychology. The ideal candidate would have a combined GRE score (verbal & quantitative) of 540 on the revised GRE scale or 1,000 on the original scale and a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students who have already completed a master’s degree must provide documentation of their degree to waive the GRE requirement. Students requesting a transfer from another master’s program must provide documentation of GRE scores to complete requirements for application to the program.

Admissions decisions are made based on the following:

A Brenau University application

Application to the program which includes a personal goal statement outlining individual-program compatibility

Two letters of recommendation

official transcripts of all previous college/university coursework

official GRE scores (general)

In addition, previous volunteer, work and/or research experience in psychology are viewed as an enhancement to the application. Finalists will be required to attend an interview with psychology faculty.

Generally applicants for the Graduate Psychology program are expected to meet the stated admissions requirements. However, Brenau may consider an applicant who does not meet [all] stated requirements, but who, in the opinion of the appropriate department, may be a good candidate for admission to the University. In such cases an applicant’s credentials will be reviewed by the graduate admissions committee (based on departmental referral) to determine if the applicant is qualified for admission.

Preferred Admission Preferred Admission is available to Brenau students who have a minimum junior class standing, an overall GPA of 3.2 and a minimum 3.5 GPA in psychology coursework. These students must complete all other admissions requirements as listed above. Students who have completed at least 48 hours at Brenau (including at least 12 hours in psychology coursework) prior to their preferred admission application may be exempt from the GRE if other admission requirements are met.

Transfer Credit Course work taken at another regionally accredited institution of higher education may be appropriately transferred to Brenau as part of the planned program of study with the approval of the department chair for a limit of six semester hours. Grading standards of the Brenau program into which the work is transferred will apply. The course must have been completed within the last seven years, and no grade below a B will be accepted.

Psychology (M.S.)

Mission Statement The Psychology (M.S.) is offered for students who do not see themselves working in a clinical setting providing treatment for clients, but rather might want to go on to pursue careers in other psychology-related careers, such as coming research or progressing to a Ph.D. in experimental psychology or similar field. While this degree does not lead to licensure as a professional counselor, it will allow students to obtain a master’s degree in this field, which may assist them with employment or in improving their candidacy to be accepted into a doctoral program that focuses on non-clinical work.

Admissions requirements are the same as the M.S. in Clinical Counseling Psychology program. The required courses for obtaining this degree are identical to the Clinical Counseling Psychology major with some exceptions. For successful completion of the Psychology major, students must pass 53 hours of coursework. Fifty of these credit hours are listed below with an additional three-hour elective.